System and method for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure

Abstract

A system and method for effectively performing a remote control configuration procedure includes a settop box that receives electronic programming from a program source and a television that is configured to reproduce the electronic programming. A remote control device controls various functionalities of the television over an RC-TV communications link. The remote control configuration procedure is coordinated by the television and a configuration server to allow the remote control device to also control various functionalities of the settop box over an RC-STB communication link. The television and the configuration server support a user-friendly interactive procedure to automatically determine and provide certain settop-box control information for adding appropriate settop-box control functions to the remote control device during the remote control configuration procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:
 a settop box that receives electronic programming from a program source; 
 a television that is configured to reproduce said electronic programming; and 
 a remote control that controls said television over an RC-TV communications link, said television automatically coordinating an entire set of handshaking steps for performing a configuration procedure with a configuration server to allow said remote control to also control said settop box over an RC-STB communication link, said configuration server being at a remote network location that is accessible by other network devices, said television automatically accessing STB control codes from said configuration server based upon a device type of said settop box for adding settop-box control functions to internally modify said remote control during said configuration procedure. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  further comprising said configuration server that said television interacts with to identify and obtain said STB control information. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein said television communicates with said configuration server over an Internet network. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein said settop box is alternately implemented as a cable-television settop box or a satellite-television settop box. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein said configuration procedure is initiated in response to a configuration trigger event that alternately includes both an initial setup procedure for said television and a replacement installation of said settop box. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 2  wherein said television automatically transmits a network login communication, including an IP address, to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a locale lookup table to determine a specific locale for said television based upon said IP address. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6  wherein said configuration server accesses a vendor lookup table to determine one or more probable vendors for said settop box based upon said specific locale of said television, said configuration server notifying said television regarding said one or more probable vendors for said settop box based upon vendor information from said vendor lookup table. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  wherein said television displays a vendor identification question about said one or more probable vendors to allow a system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual vendor of said settop box. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8  wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question for which said system user may respond either “yes” or “no”. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 8  wherein said television confirms said actual vendor of said settop box to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing an STB-model lookup table to determine STB model information for possible settop boxes supported in said specific locale by said actual vendor, said configuration server then uploading said STB model information to said television. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein said STB model information includes both model numbers and digital images for said possible settop boxes supported by said actual vendor at said specific locale, said system user identifying one of said digital images and said model numbers displayed on said television. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10  wherein said television displays said STB model information, said television also displaying a model identification question about said possible settop boxes to allow said system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual model of said settop box. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12  wherein said television confirms said actual model of said settop box to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a control-information lookup table to determine STB control information for said actual model of said settop box. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13  wherein said STB control information includes specific settop-box control codes to support adding said settop-box control functions to said remote control. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13  wherein said configuration server uploads said STB control information to said television, said television responsively providing said STB control information to said remote control. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15  wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing low-speed or high-speed radio-frequency transmissions over said RC-TV communications link. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15  wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing Near-Field Communication techniques. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15  wherein said remote control utilizes said STB control information to update remote control functionalities of said remote control to support controlling both said settop box and said television. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 1  wherein said television generates an RC GUI for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  wherein said RC function GUI includes function descriptor popups to indicate current control functionalities of specific identified remote-control buttons after said configuration procedure has been performed. 
     
     
       21. A method for effectively controlling an electronic system, comprising:
 receiving electronic programming from a program source by utilizing a settop box; 
 reproducing said electronic programming with a television; 
 controlling said television with a remote control over an RC-TV communications link; and 
 performing a configuration procedure automatically with said television and a configuration server in an entire set of handshaking steps to allow said remote control to also control said settop box over an RC-STB communication link, said configuration server being at a remote network location that is accessible by other network device, said television automatically accessing STB control codes from said configuration server based upon a device type of said settop box for adding settop-box control functions to internally modify said remote control during said configuration procedure. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  further comprising said configuration server that said television interacts with to identify and obtain said STB control information, said configuration server including a configuration database that is continually updated with current configuration information. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22  wherein said television communicates with said configuration server over an Internet network. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 21  wherein said settop box is alternately implemented as a cable-television settop box or a satellite-television settop box. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 21  wherein said configuration procedure is initiated in response to a configuration trigger event that alternately includes both an initial setup procedure for said television and a replacement installation of said settop box. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 22  wherein said television automatically transmits a network login communication, including an IP address, to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a locale lookup table to determine a specific locale for said television based upon said IP address. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26  wherein said configuration server accesses a vendor lookup table to determine one or more probable vendors for said settop box based upon said specific locale of said television, said configuration server notifying said television regarding said one or more probable vendors for said settop box based upon vendor information from said vendor lookup table. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27  wherein said television displays a vendor identification question about said one or more probable vendors to allow a system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual vendor of said settop box. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28  wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question for which said system user may respond either “yes” or “no.” 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28  wherein said television confirms said actual vendor of said settop box to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing an STB-model lookup table to determine STB model information for possible settop boxes supported in said specific locale by said actual vendor, said configuration server then uploading said STB model information to said television. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30  wherein said STB model information includes both model numbers and digital images for said possible settop boxes supported by said actual vendor at said specific locale, said system user identifying one of said digital images and said model numbers displayed on said television. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 30  wherein said television displays said STB model information, said television also displaying a model identification question about said possible settop boxes to allow said system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual model of said settop box. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 32  wherein said television confirms said actual model of said settop box to said configuration server, said configuration server responsively accessing a control-information lookup table to determine STB control information for said actual model of said settop box. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33  wherein said STB control information includes specific settop-box control codes to support adding said settop-box control functions to said remote control. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 33  wherein said configuration server uploads said STB control information to said television, said television responsively providing said STB control information to said remote control. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35  wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing low-speed or high-speed radio-frequency transmissions over said RC-TV communications link. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 35  wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing Near-Field Communication techniques. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 35  wherein said remote control utilizes said STB control information to update remote control functionalities of said remote control to support controlling both said settop box and said television. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 21  wherein said television generates an RC function GUI for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 39  wherein said RC function GUI includes function descriptor popups to indicate current control functionalities of specific identified remote-control buttons after said configuration procedure has been performed. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 35  wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing infrared transmissions over said RC-TV communications link. 
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 21  wherein said remote control send electronic information to said television by utilizing infrared transmissions over said RC-TV communications link. 
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 21  wherein said remote control sends electronic information to said television by utilizing radio-frequency transmissions over said RC-TV communications link. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 21  wherein said remote control sends information to said television by utilizing Near-Field Communications techniques over said RC-TV communications link. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 21  wherein said remote control sends information to said settop box over said RC-STB communication link by utilizing radio-frequency transmissions. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 21  wherein said remote control sends information to said settop box over said RC-STB communication link by utilizing infrared transmissions. 
     
     
       47. The system of  claim 28  wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question to which said system user may respond by selecting either a yes selection button or a no selection button displayed on said television. 
     
     
       48. The system of  claim 28  wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question to which said system user may respond by using a touch screen on said remote control to select either a yes selection button or a no selection button displayed on said remote control. 
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 21  wherein said remote control generates an RC GUI for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed. 
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 49  wherein said RC function GUI includes function descriptor popups to indicate current control functionalities of specific identified remote-control buttons after said configuration procedure has been performed. 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 30  wherein said STB model information includes model numbers and digital images for said possible settop boxes supported by said actual vendor at said specific locale, said system user identifying one of said digital images or said model numbers displayed on said television and/or a display screen of said remote control. 
     
     
       52. The method of  claim 30  wherein said television and/or said remote control displays said STB model information, said television and/or said remote control also displaying a model identification question about said possible settop boxes to allow said system user to utilize said remote control for interactively confirming an actual model of said settop box. 
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 35  wherein said television transfers said STB control information to said remote control by utilizing infrared transmission techniques. 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 21  wherein said remote control generates an RC function GUI on an RC display screen for visually presenting to a system user a graphical representation of said remote control and current control button functions of said remote control after said configuration procedure has been performed. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 21  wherein said settop box sends information to said remote control over said RC-STB communication link by utilizing radio-frequency transmissions. 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 21  wherein said settop box sends information to said remote control over said RC-STB communication link by utilizing infrared transmissions. 
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 28  wherein said vendor identification question is formulated as a yes/no question to which said system user may respond by using arrow keys on said remote control. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 21  wherein said system user participates in said configuration procedure by utilizing a display screen of said television. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 21  wherein said system user participates in said configuration procedure by utilizing a display screen of said remote control. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 21  wherein said system user participates in said configuration procedure by utilizing display screens of both said television and said remote control. 
     
     
       61. The method of  claim 21  wherein said system user participates in said configuration procedure by utilizing display screens of said television and/or said remote control. 
     
     
       62. A system for effectively controlling a television system, comprising:
 a cable-television settop box that receives electronic programming from a cable-network program source; 
 a television that is configured to reproduce said electronic programming upon a display screen; 
 a configuration server that stores STB control codes for said cable-television settop box; and 
 a remote control that controls said television over a wireless RC-TV communications link, said television and said configuration server automatically coordinating an entire set of handshaking steps for performing a configuration procedure to allow said remote control to also control said settop box over an RC-STB communication link, said configuration server being at a remote network location that is accessible by other network devices, said television automatically accessing said STB control codes from said configuration server based upon a device type of said settop box for adding settop-box control functions to internally modify said remote control, said television providing a graphical-user-interface for identifying a correct version of said STB control information, and for visually indicating said settop-box control functions on an displayed image of said remote control. 
 
     
     
       63. A system for effectively controlling a television system, comprising:
 a satellite-television settop box that receives electronic programming from a satellite-network program source; 
 a television that is configured to reproduce said electronic programming upon a display screen; 
 a configuration server that stores STB control codes for said satellite-television settop box; and 
 a remote control that controls said television over a wireless RC-TV communications link, said television and said configuration server automatically coordinating an entire set of handshaking steps for performing a configuration procedure to allow said remote control to also control said settop box over an RC-STB communication link, said configuration server being at a remote network location that is accessible by other network devices, said television automatically accessing said STB control codes from said configuration server based upon a device type of said settop box for adding settop-box control functions to internally modify said remote control, said television providing a graphical-user-interface for identifying a correct version of said STB control information, and for visually indicating said settop-box control functions on an displayed image of said remote control.